Pie making process



July M, 1931. v E. MOSS PIE MAKING PROCESS Filed April 18, l95l PatentedJuly 14, 1931 UNE'FED STATES ELIZABE'IH MOSS, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIAPIE MAKING IEROClllSS Substitute for abandoned application Serial No.139,834, filed August 23, 1926: This application filed April 18, 1931.

Although this invention is entitled somewhat broadly, it may beunderstood to relate more particularly to the protection of so-calledindividual pies; and it is an object '5! of my invention to providemeans and methods favorable to the production of very thin and superiorpie crusts.

It is a further object of my invention to provide means and methodssuitable for the w quantity production of individual pies, preferredembodiments of my invention being such as to obviate the use ofexcessive quantities of grease, flour or the like, in preventing theadhesion of dough to a roller, a rolling board, or the like.

It is a further object of my invention to provide means and methodsfavorable to the baking of pies in an unusual manner, the larger crust,which serves to provide a concavity for the pie filling, being disposedin an upper position, and no baking tins being required subsequently tothe insertion of my pies in an oven.

Other objects of my invention, including the use of improved means andmethods for producing very thin sheets of dough and handling the same,and includingalso novel means for producing the depressions in suchsheets of dough, and also means for filling said depressions, and meansand methods for trimming and separating pies, a fabric on fabrics beingleft adherent. to one or both of the crusts of a pie during several ofthe mentioned steps, may be best appreciated from the followingdescription, taken in connection with .the appended claims and theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a general perspective view,illustrating, somewhat diagrammatically, various features of anapparatus suitable for use in the production of batches of individualpies. Fig. 2 is a detail view, taken on a'vertical plane, as indicatedby the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive are diagrammatical views. illustrating varioussteps or stages in the production of pies in accordance with theprinciples of my invention.

Fig. 6 shows a finished pie.

to This applioatignis a substitute for my Serial No. 531,212.

{orfeited case, Ser. No. 130,834,, filed Aug. 23,

tus indicated at 15,t he respective devices to which the characters 12,13, 1 1 and 15 are applied being intended to indicate the successivesteps of my improved method, rather than to illustrate essentialfeatures of mechanical construction Referring to the dough-rollingapparatus at 12, this is shown as disposed below a doughhopper 16,having an open top for the reception of any preferred crust-dough.mixture and provided with a cut-0E or valve, of any usual or preferredtype, dle 17 and the hopper 16, or its equivalent, may be so positionedas to drop a predetermined quantity of dough upon a lower fabric, orsuccessive rectangles of lower fabric 18, advanced by any suitable means(as by endless Web 19,) constantly driven beneath a roller 20, or itsequivalent, in any suitable way; as by means of a motor (not shown)controlled by a crank or clutch lever 21; and, after a suitable quantityof dough has been delivered onto a lower sheet or fabric l8 (socalledcheese cloth being a suitable material in this connection) a second andupper sheet (not shown) of the same or similar material may be disposedon. top of the dough, in ad Vance of its passage beneath the roller 20,or the like, the result of the indicated rolling operation ,(thepressure thereof being regulated by screws 23,"or the like) being theformation of a comparatively thin and exoperable by a hantensive sheetof dough'24 disposed between layers of fabric and advanced to a positionfavorable to its removal from the endless web 19, or the like, the useof an upper fabric being optional.

Although any desired number of like sheets bf dough, similarly dis osedbetween parallel sheets-of cheese clot or the like,'may

' or negative molding plate 25, provided with a depression ordepressions 26 corresponding in s1ze to-the intended dimensions of apie, means such as an upper or positive mold member 27, carried by aslidable handle 28 extending through a, guide 29 (supported byan arm v30laterally projecting from an upright 31 and employed manually orotherwise to depress the upper mold member 27 relatively to the lowermold member being used to form concavities in an interposed sheet of douh rolled to a desired thickness (as, to a thic ess of one-eighth of aninchmore or less) and interposed between said mold mem-' bers.

In positioning each sheet of dough between a-pair of cooperating moldmembers of the character described, the mentioned sheets of textilematerial, although provided primarily. for the purpose of preventingadhesion'of dough to the roller 20, and/or to the web 19 (or to otherporous or non-porous members employed in spreading the dough into 'athin sheet) .may be advantageously utilized to reduce risk of tearing anunusually thin sheet of dough, the upper layer of fabric beingpresumably withdrawn in advance of the molding-operation. 'At least, itobviously must be removed in advance of a filling operation,

- such as that for which the apparatus 14 is intended. The fillinapparatus last referred to comprise a a discharge box or multiple nozzle33, this bein shown as rigidly connected with a brac et 34 and asprovided with an operating lever 35. In order to permit the nozzle 33 tobe elevated 1 and depressed relatively to a plate 25 (assuming theformed-dough to be supported thereby during .a filling operation) I maysecure the bracket 34, or its equivalent, to a standard 35, or the like,by means such as parallel links 37 and 37 and I may employ resilientmeans, such as a tension spring 38,'normally to hold the discharge box33 (whether or not the hopper 32 is supported thereby and'removabletherewith) m an elevated position. In order that a single lever orhandle, such as the mentioned lever 35, may be used not only to depressthe discharge box'33 to a suitable level relatively to a molded sheetofdough,but also to control the outflow of a selected fluent pie fillingfrom the hopper 32 (the discharge box 33 being shown as promay videdwith an apertured bottom 39 above I which extends acorrespondinglyapertured slidable valve plate 40, and the levy 35 befilling hopper 32supported above ing shown as provided with a downward extension 41 toengage a slot in said valve plate) I may interpose between the handle 35and the hopper 32, or between members similarly related, resilient meanssuch as a tension spring 42., more powerful than the mentioned spring38, the construction and arrangement of the parts referred to being suchthat whenever downward pressure is ,applied to the' lever 35, thedistributing box 33 is first depressed, by an overcoming of the tensionspring 38, the. lever 35 being permitted to move rotatively uponhorizontal pivot 43, to

' impart sliding movement to the valve plate ployedin rolling the same)may be spread upon the molded and filled layer; and the remaining(upper) fabric layer may be stripped from. that added sheet of dough,substantially as suggested in Fig. 3, in advance of a trimming and/orsubdividing operation such as thatto which the apparatus 15 is suitable.

The convex and larger crust of a pie, commonly baked in contact with-apie tin, be

ing currently referred to as a bottom crust, in order to avoid confusionin terminology, I will herein refer to that crust which is subj ected tothe described molding and filling operations as a bottom crust,notwithstanding the fact that some of the operations which remain to bedescribed may be, and preferably are, executed with the convex andlarger crusts of pies upwardly disposed; and for convenience ofidentification, I will apply theicharacters 16b and 161$ to the respective textilesheets, or the like, which initially' underlie a bottomsheet of dough 24b and a top sheet of dough 246, regardless of the finalreversal of the relationship between these sheets.

Fillings 44 having been provided within depressions in the bottom crustsin the described manner, or in any preferred manner, and'a top crust 24thaving been spread thereon, upon the removal of the fabr-ic16t (eachmold plate 25 being optionally used in supporting a plurality of picsduring successive operations of the general character referred to) acompleted pie or pies may be trimmed and/or sealed and/or subdivided;and, for this purpose, successive mold plates 25, with pies therein, maybe disposed beneath a reciprocable or other cutter 44, carrying aknifeor knives 45. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the cutter44' is rigidly secured to a vertically slidable rod ata desiredtemperature, to an interior chamor handle 46, supported by an arm 47,carried by the mentioned upright 31, (also supporting mol-din devicesabove described) pose a metallic plate 48, or the like, above apie orpies, inverting the same so that the bottom curst occupies an upperposition, as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 4; and I may then stripthe fabric 246, if left adherent up to this time, from the bottom of thepie or pies.

In'case cooling is to be provided for in advance of baking, I may employa jet of cold air, as suggested by the showing of a nozzle 49 in Fig. 4,as an aid in strlpping the fabric 246 from pies, or I may, regardless ofthe method by which such stripping is effected, chill the pie or pies inany known or preferred manner, before baking the same.

It is an important merit of the described method of operation that itpermits the use of very thin pie crusts, and that it facilitates thedisposal of pies in an inverted position,

one of the important features of my invenvention being the fact that Iprovide for the baking of pies with their bottom crusts upwardlydisposed. That is to say, optionally carrying the same through atrimming and/or stripping operation while disposed upon the metallic orother plates 48, I may leave the pies upon these same plates duringbaking operation effected, as suggestedin Fig. 5, with the bottoms orlarger crusts thereof upwardly disposed, this disposal of pies, duringbaking in an oven 50 and/or during removal from a supporting surfacebeing reliably effective to produce a superlor bottom crust and toobviate risk of damage or breakage during the removal of a ie from itssupport.

Although I have above suggested the use of a plurality of sheets orpieces of cheese cloth or the like, as providing a porous member readilyseparable from a thin layer 'of pie crust, I may mention that, insteadof, or in addition to, one or both of the described sheets, I may employanother porous member such as an earthenware plate and/or roller;and,.in the latter case, I may advantageously force air at a moderatepressure through the earthenware surface; and, even though I employ aplurality of sheets of textile material, I may optionally employ suchearthenware surfaces thereabove and/0r therebelow. For example,assuggested in Fig. 1, I may form the roller 20 of earthenware,admitting air,

ber therein by means such as a compressed air pipe 52; and, dependingupon the character and condition of the dough employed, this use of aporous roller. 20 may obviate the necessity for the use of at least theupper layers of fabric 22. 1

The mode of operation of the respective arts of my described apparatushaving been ully indicated above, I may emphasize, in conclusion, thatthe principal features of my invention are capable of execution by agreat variety of alternate means, and that my novel means and methodsfor producing and hand ling thin sheets of dough enable me to forego theuse of undue quantities of flour and/or grease, either in the rollingoperation or in other and subsequent operations, such as filling and/orbaking operations; and that, the quality of the dough being thus subjectto no unfavorable additions, both crusts being thin and bottonrcrustsbeing baked to unusual perfection, the results are especiallyattractive.

Instead of relying entirely upon the manual positioning of the moldingplates 25 (preferably With the use of fixed guide corners, as suggestedat 53) I obviously might employ automatic means not only for advancingthe dough, but for manipulating the dough and or for the operation offilling and/or cutting means, and/or for the advancing of the moldingplates 25 or the equivalent, but illustration of additional mechanicalmeans is omitted from my present application as immaterial to theprocess invention upon which protection is herein sought.

Although I have herein. described a single complete embodiment of myinvention, it

I should be understood not only that various features thereof might beindependently used but also that numerous modifications might be made,by those skilled in the art to which this case relates, without theslightest departure from the spirit and scope of this in vention, as thesame is indicated above and in the following claims.

For example, although I herein disclose pies whose bases are rectangular(the length preferably exceeding the breadth thereof, as shown in Fig.6, the sides and ends being upwardly convergent, and the larger crustbeing uppermost and hardest baked), it should be understood that theshape, and size as well as the crust and filling materials of my picsmay be varied within considerable limits. I The described shape of thearticle is,- however, A favorable to a retention of the filling thereinwhen the latter is somewhat fluent in final consistency, and theconsumer .is enabled to' hold the pie easily While eating it insuccesmember; and molding a lower crust shee't'of dough while saidporous member remains adherent thereto.

'2. A method of producing pies which comprises forming masses of crustdough into thin sheets in contact-with flexible porous members; andmolding and filling" one of said sheets of dough while one of saidporous members remains adherent thereto.

3. A method of producing pies which comprises forming masses of'crustdough into thin sheets in contact with flexible porous members; moldinga lower crust sheet of dough while one of said porous members remainsadherent thereto; placing a filler in said molded sheet; and applyingthereon an upper crust sheet of dough, to form a complete pie, while oneof saldiorous members remains in contact with sai upper sheet of dough.

4.- A method of producing pies which comprises formingmasses of crustdough into thin sheets in contact with flexible porous members;molding-a lower crust sheet of dough while one of said porous membersremains adherent thereto; placing a filler in said lower crust; applyingthereon an upper crust sheet of dough, to form a complete pie, while oneof said porous members remains in contact" with said upper sheet ofdough;

and separating said last-mentioned porous member r'rom'said upper sheqzof dough in advance of. a trlmmlng o eratlon.

5. A method of producing pies which'comprlses forming masses of crustdough into thin sheets in contact with porous members; molding a lowercrust sheet of dough while one of said porous members remains adherentthereto placmg a filler n sald lower crust;

applying thereon an upper crust sheet of .dough, to forma complete pie,while one of said porous members remains in contact with said uppersheet of dough; separating said last mentioned porous members fromsaidupper sheet of dough m advance of a trimmmgoperation; and invertingthe pie before bakm the same in an inverted position.

. method of producing ples which comprlses forming masses of crust doughinto thin sheets in contact with porous members; mold ng a lower crustsheet of-dough while one of said porous members remains adherentthereto; placing a filler in said lower crust member; applying thereonan' upper crust sheet of dough, to form a complete pie, while one ofsaid porous members remains in con- I tactwith said upper sheet ofdough; separatingsaid last mentioned porous member from sa d upper sheetof dough in advance of a trimming operation; stripping a remainingporous membertherefrom; and baking the 1 pie m an inverted position.

7' A method of producing sheets of dough suitable for use as pie crustswhich includes placing a mass of said dough upona textile ELIZABETHMOSS.

